scholarly journals Benefit of a Mobile Application to Motivate People with Multiple Sclerosis to Practice Self-Rehabilitation at Home

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 7-12
Author(s):  
Clémence Chassan ◽  
Céline Jost ◽  
Thomas De Broucker ◽  
Olivier Cras ◽  
Marc Sévène ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Rehabilitation Exercises ◽  
Do So ◽  
At Home

Rehabilitation is essential to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treatment. Its efficacy can be maintained by self-rehabilitation but its execution often remains unpredictable. A mobile application could help people with MS (pwMS) practice these self-rehabilitation exercises at home. We are reporting the results of a study aiming to guide the design of a mobile application that would motivate pwMS to do so. With this aim in mind, a study has been conducted among the rehabilitation staff who work with these people. The results are steering the design of the application towards an occupation-centric application, in addition with some playful elements in order to provoke interest and commitment.

Encouraging physical activities at home for people with multiple sclerosis with mHealth tools: A literature review

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Clémence Chassan ◽  
Céline Jost ◽  
Marc Sévène ◽  
Olivier Cras ◽  
Thomas De Broucker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Digital Libraries ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Neurological Disease ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Rehabilitation Program ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Physical Exercises ◽  
At Home

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic degenerative neurological disease with visual, sensitive, motor, or cognitive symptoms. Physical activities are recommended for people with MS (pwMS) who are at home instead of in a rehabilitation program, to help them to maintain their autonomy. Since a lack of motivation appears to be the principal barrier for pwMS to practice exercises, it is necessary to evaluate whether mobile health (mHealth) tools can offer a solution to stimulate their motivation. OBJECTIVE: This literature review analyzes papers to investigate to how a mobile application can motivate pwMS to practice physical activities and manage their fatigue. METHODS: We performed an automatic query from digital libraries and analyzed the studies. RESULTS: We selected seven articles that responded to our criteria. These studies tested mobile applications that used different strategies to motivate pwMS to practice physical exercises at home and manage their fatigue. A lack of motivation was the main obstacle, but depending on the type of exercises chosen, some application settings seemed to resolve this issue. CONCLUSIONS: Studies in this area are limited, although this literature review highlights the need for mHealth tools in which pwMS and their therapists contribute to their use and conception.

A study protocol: co-designing a mobile application to enhance communication, safety and wellbeing for people living at home with early stage dementia (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Davies ◽  
Bie Nio Ong ◽  
Sudeh Cheraghi-Sohi ◽  
Katherine Perryman ◽  
Caroline Sanders
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Application ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Care Service ◽  
Normalisation Process Theory ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
At Home

BACKGROUND Background: There is a growing interest in using mobile applications in supporting health and wellbeing. Evidence directly from people with dementia regarding the acceptability, usability and usefulness of mobile apps is limited. It builds on ‘My Health Guide’ which was co-designed with people with cognitive disabilities. . OBJECTIVE Objective This paper describes the protocol of a study evaluating an app designed for supporting wellbeing with people living with dementia, specifically focusing on enhanced safety through improved communication METHODS Method: The study will employ design research, using participatory qualitative research methods over three cycles of evaluation with service users, their families and practitioners. The study will be developed in partnership with a specialist home care service in England. A purposive case selection will be used to ensure that the cases exemplify differences in experiences. The app will be evaluated in a ‘walkthrough’ workshop by people living with early stage dementia and then trialled at home by up to 12 families in a ‘try-out’ cycle. An amended version will be evaluated in a final ‘walkthrough’ workshop in cycle 3. Data will be collected from at least four data sources during the try-out phase and analysed thematically (people with dementia, carers, practitioners and app usage). An explanatory, multiple-case study design will be used to synthesise and present the evidence from the three cycles drawing on Normalisation Process Theory to support interpretation of the findings. RESULTS Results: The study is ready to be implemented but has been paused to protect vulnerable individuals during the Coronavirus in 2020. The findings will be particularly relevant for understanding how to support vulnerable people living in the community during social distancing and the period following the pandemic, as well as providing insight into the challenges of social isolation arising from living with dementia CONCLUSIONS Discussion: Evaluating a mobile application for enhancing communication, safety and wellbeing for people living with dementia contributes to key ambitions enshrined in policy and practice, championing the use of digital technology and supporting people with dementia to live safely in their own homes. The study uses a co-design method to enable the voice of users with dementia to highlight the benefits and challenges of technology and shape future development of apps that potentially enhances safety through improved communication.

scholarly journals Savaris et al (2021) erroneously interpreted their regressions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Góes
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Short Note ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Specific Time ◽  
Weighted Averages ◽  
Staying At Home ◽  
Do So ◽  
At Home

Savaris et al. (2021) aim at "verifying if staying at home had an impact on mortality rates." This short note shows that the methodology they have applied in their paper does not allow them to do so. An estimated coefficient β≈0 does not imply that there is no association between the variables in either country. Rather, their pairwise difference regressions are computing coefficients that are weighted-averages of region-specific time series regressions, such that it is possible that the association is significant in both regions but their weighted-averages is close to zero. Therefore, the results do not back up the conclusions of the paper.

The Implementation and Acceptability of a Combined Mobile Application with a COVID-19 at-Home Test Kit

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian H. Zai ◽  
Molly Caffrey ◽  
Conor S. O'Brien ◽  
Dawei Jiang ◽  
Remona Kanyat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Application ◽  
Home Test ◽  
Test Kit ◽  
At Home

The Optiscope Enlarger: A Report of Initial Field Trials

1972 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
pp. 320-322
Author(s):  
George O. Hellinger ◽  
Arthur W. Berger
Keyword(s):  
Word Reading ◽  
Low Vision ◽  
Reading Difficulties ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Initial Field ◽  
Low Vision Aids ◽  
Home Reading ◽  
Room Illumination ◽  
Do So ◽  
At Home

□ 1. Thirty consecutively selected low vision patients were evaluated on their performance in viewing a standard near-point chart and selected materials. This was done unaided and then with their customary low-vision aid, first hand-held and then viewed in the Optiscope Enlarger. 2. All subjects demonstrated an ability to read smaller point chart type and to do so at a greater distance with the Optiscope Enlarger. Varied responses on the selected materials might be attributable to word reading difficulties or the effect of the causative defect. 3. Some subjects did better without their low-vision aids or went to distance prescription lenses while using the Optiscope Enlarger. Use of this type of device indicates the necessity for testing for greater distance than normally associated with low-vision aids. 4. Responses of the subjects were 18 favorable, five questionable, and seven negative. It was found that room illumination had to be varied in certain cases. 5. Use of this device would permit simultaneous viewing by parent and child at home, reading at more normal distances, greater word and phrase span, and the viewing of technical diagrams. 6. The results of this evaluation indicate that the Optiscope Enlarger is of substantial value and warrants further investigation.

scholarly journals EVA: EVAluating at-home rehabilitation exercises using augmented reality and low-cost sensors

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Escalona ◽  
Ester Martinez-Martin ◽  
Edmanuel Cruz ◽  
Miguel Cazorla ◽  
Francisco Gomez-Donoso
Keyword(s):  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Rehabilitation Exercises ◽  
At Home

scholarly journals Risk perception in natalizumab-treated multiple sclerosis patients and their neurologists

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 1507-1512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Heesen ◽  
Ingo Kleiter ◽  
Franziska Nguyen ◽  
Nina Schäffler ◽  
Jürgen Kasper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Malignant Disease ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Information Leaflet ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Natalizumab Treatment ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Do So

Background: Natalizumab is associated with the potentially life-threatening side-effect progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Little is known about patients’ and physicians’ risk estimates and attitudes towards natalizumab treatment. Methods: Consecutive natalizumab-treated patients ( n = 69) and neurologists ( n = 66) in two centres and cooperating private practices received an evidence-based three-page information leaflet about natalizumab-associated PML and an evaluation sheet. Results: After reading the information, patients were significantly more likely than physicians to intend continuation of natalizumab treatment and willing to accept higher risks of PML: 49% of physicians would stop treatment at a PML risk of 2 : 10,000 or lower, while only 17% of patients would do so ( p < 0.001). This difference could not be explained by risk calculation abilities or lack of understanding. Both groups overestimated natalizumab treatment effects. Conclusion: Patients had a significantly worse perception of multiple sclerosis as a malignant disease. We conclude that patients were willing to accept a higher risk of PML than neurologists. Coherent with their perception of risks and benefits, patients were also more willing to continue treatment. Open information about treatment-related risks is appreciated and might support shared decision making.

Merkel 3.0: German Foreign Policy in the Aftermath of the 2013 Bundestag Election

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 86-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackson Janes
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Foreign Minister ◽  
German Foreign Policy ◽  
The World ◽  
Angela Merkel ◽  
Will Force ◽  
Joachim Gauck ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Do So ◽  
At Home

Angela Merkel remains arguably the most powerful politician in Europe, now in her third term as chancellor. While she enjoys popularity at home, seen as pragmatic and reliable, she faces numerous outward expectations and pressures that challenge Germany's foreign policy of restraint. Some argue that Germany does not pull its weight in foreign policy, particularly militarily, or at least is reluctant to do so. This view is not only an external one, but also is shared by Germany's leaders—both Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and President Joachim Gauck, among others, have expressed their desire for an increased German role in the world. Many politicians, however, do not see an advantage to focusing on foreign issues in their export-heavy economy. Other challenges, including disillusionment among Germans regarding their tenuous relationship with Russia and damaged trust between the U.S. and Germany as a result of the NSA scandal, will force Merkel to set an agenda that balances domestic concerns with her allies' expectations.

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